Jury convicts doctor in prescription fraud, deaths
By Associated Press
Published June 18, 2004
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - A doctor was convicted Wednesday of writing improper prescriptions for the painkiller oxycodone and other medications, leading to two overdose deaths.
The federal court jury deliberated three hours and found Dr. Freddie Williams, 54, of Panama City guilty of 94 charges, including conspiracy, fraud and 57 counts of illegally dispensing drugs.
The maximum sentence possible is life in prison.
Drugs prescribed by Williams were blamed for the deaths of Brian Sanders in October 2002 and Bonnie Ramos in December 2000.
Williams wrote prescriptions for anyone willing to pay up to $80 for an office visit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kunz said in his closing argument.
The prosecution presented evidence that Williams over three years prescribed nearly a million doses of oxycodone.
Oxycodone is in OxyContin, linked to more than 100 deaths due to abuse across the nation.
